Pilot's rant about flight attendants caught on open mic

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June 23, 2011 5:13:01 AM PDT

By AMY BINGHAM and MATT HOSFORD

HOUSTON --

A Southwest Airlines pilot was suspended without pay after his cockpit microphone became stuck open and an obscenity-laced rant about the physical attributes of flight attendants was broadcast across the entire Texas airspace.

Houston TV station KPRC obtained a recording of the audio in which the pilot bashed gays, women, "grannies" and overweight people. The conversation took place at about 7:30 a.m. CT on March 25 and was broadcast over the Houston air traffic control radio frequency, blocking communication between air traffic controllers and other pilots for more than two minutes.